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"Stay away!": City forced into bizarre anti-travel campaign

<p>Amsterdam has taken desperate measures in the fight to keep the city safe from “messy” tourists determined to cause chaos and call it a night out. </p> <p>The Dutch capital’s new online campaign sets out to primarily tackle the problem of young British men, warning them against their plans to “let loose” while they’re visiting. </p> <p>Hopeful British tourists - between the ages of 18 and 35 - who google things like “stag party Amsterdam”, “pub crawl Amsterdam”, and “cheap hotel Amsterdam” will be made to view short videos that stress the consequences that come with “[causing] nuisance and excessive alcohol and drug use”, according to a statement from the city’s local authorities. </p> <p>One of said videos shows an intoxicated young man being arrested after insulting police officers, with text reading: “Coming to Amsterdam for a messy night + getting trashed = €140 fine + criminal record = fewer prospects.” </p> <p>From there comes the firm and to-the-point statement: “So coming to Amsterdam for a messy night? Stay away.”</p> <p>In another of the campaign’s videos, an unconscious individual can be seen in an ambulance as it rushes to hospital, this time with text that reads: “Coming to Amsterdam to take drugs + lose control = hospital trip + permanent health damage = worried family.” </p> <p>It concludes with the same message as the other. </p> <p>Amsterdam welcomes approximately 20 million tourists each year, and is well known for its red light district. It’s this same hotspot that has played a major role in establishing the city as the place to party in Europe. </p> <p>However, local residents have voiced their displeasure for years, fed up with the chaos that drunken tourists bring their way, and prevent them from enjoying their own city as they want to. </p> <p>“Visitors will remain welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. In that case we as a city will say: rather not, stay away,” Amsterdam’s deputy mayor Sofyan Mbarki said.</p> <p>“Amsterdam is already taking lots of measures against excessive tourism and nuisance, and we are taking more measures than other large cities in Europe. But we have to do even more [in] the coming years if we want to give tourism a sustainable place in our city.”</p> <p>From there, he went on to note that in order to keep their city a liveable place, they had to turn their attention to “restriction instead of irresponsible growth.” </p> <p>This isn’t the only - or even first - step city officials have taken towards achieving their goal, having just passed new regulations that make it illegal for anyone to smoke cannabis while in the red light district. </p> <p>The video campaign may yet expand to include visitors from beyond the UK, authorities have suggested. They also plan to launch another campaign called “How to Amsterdam”, which aims to reign in tourists already visiting. This campaign will utilise social media and street signs, with warnings about everything from drunkenness to noise, drugs, and urinating in public. </p> <p>Providers who offer bachelor party experiences have reportedly been contacted by the council as well, in the hope that they can reduce - and prevent - trouble in the city’s centre, while they also await the results of research into a potential tourist tax. </p> <p><em>Images: YouTube</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Show us your Regina" tourism campaign labelled "a failure of epic proportions"

<p>A tourism campaign for the Canadian city of Regina has certainly gotten the world talking - just not for the right reasons. </p> <p>The controversial approach to promoting the area has outraged its locals, who condemned the marketing as not only “misogynistic” and also “pathetic and disgusting”. </p> <p>The tourism agency behind the campaign - Experience Regina - believed that “Show us your Regina” would be of benefit to the city, particularly as Regina rhymes with vagina. </p> <p>“The city that rhymes with fun” is another slogan they slipped into their controversial campaign, and was featured on a line of merchandise made in collaboration with 22Fresh. All posts featuring the clothing campaign have since been removed. </p> <p>Outrage came fast and furious, and the organisation was forced to acknowledge their mistake, taking to Twitter to share their thanks for everyone “holding them accountable”. </p> <p>“I want to start by apologising, on behalf of myself and our team, for the negative impact we created with elements of our recent brand launch," said Experience Regina’s Tim Reid in a statement to Twitter. </p> <p>He went on to note that they’d had positive feedback, but that it was “clear we fell short of what is expected from our amazing community with some of the slogans we used.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you for using your voice, thank you for holding us accountable, and thank you for allowing us to be better.</p> <p>-Tim Reid, CEO of Experience Regina <a href="https://t.co/VdS4NyYop3">pic.twitter.com/VdS4NyYop3</a></p> <p>— Experience Regina (@ExpRegina) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExpRegina/status/1637586812427468801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>People were not thrilled with the apology, believing that it was up to the company to do more to right their wrongs, and to actually acknowledge where they had veered off course in their decision making process. </p> <p>“Do better. This is pathetic and disgusting,” wrote one unhappy Twitter user. </p> <p>“There needs to be significant changes and very public acknowledgement of the mistakes made,” said another, before allowing that “this is a start.”</p> <p>“Did you ask literally anyone if it was a good idea?” one asked. </p> <p>Someone else opted to outline exactly what the majority were trying to tell them, stating that “this is a failure of epic proportions. You not only showed complete disrespect for women in our community but also a complete disregard for the comfort and safety of women in this community. We are owed the full story about how this came to be.” </p> <p>The uproar was so loud that Regina City Councillor Cheryl Stadnichuk issued a statement to Facebook, declaring that she too was “incredibly disappointed and appalled … with the sexist messaging of the new Experience Regina.” </p> <p>She went on to explain that she hadn’t been given any advance notice regarding the campaign’s slogan, and her thoughts on them.</p> <p>“The slogans associated with the campaign … are misogynist and objectify women’s bodies. As one woman pointed out on social media, would we engage school children with this messaging? I also ask, do we want men harassing women in bars chanting ‘show us your Regina?’,” she wrote.</p> <p>“There are so many serious ramifications of these slogans. We have extremely high rates of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in our city. </p> <p>“As a society, we have a responsibility to teach boys and men about consent. These slogans do the opposite.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0B6NsGhF2GBJXi67JrVTotVSefpYn7wGqFGqcA1tMiEBXLz5habNboqp2Gt6LVMnfl%26id%3D100064052141182&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="276" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Response to her post was mostly positive - people were glad to see someone in power speaking out with them - but there were those that still wanted to hear more from the company itself. One day later, they did. </p> <p>Tim Reid once again took to Twitter to share what steps Experience Regina would be taking moving forward. </p> <p>To begin, they were removing “all content that is offensive or inappropriate”, something that many had been calling for from the beginning. </p> <p>They noted that they would also be “more stringent in evaluating all aspects of our brand” and that they were “committed to involving more diverse stakeholder groups in our decision making process”. </p> <p>That they hadn’t already in 2023 was a sore point for some, while others opted just to be glad they claimed to be “committed to making it right.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Please read for an update. <a href="https://t.co/OQTSvHuDV4">pic.twitter.com/OQTSvHuDV4</a></p> <p>— Experience Regina (@ExpRegina) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExpRegina/status/1637987662882643970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Images: 22Fresh / Instagram</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Robert Irwin launches modelling career

<p>Robert Irwin has sent the internet into a frenzy after appearing in a new modelling campaign. </p> <p>The wildlife warrior features in a new advertisement for Aussie clothing brand Hard Yakka, which he shared to his Instagram page on Sunday and has racked up over 200,000 likes. </p> <p>A brooding Irwin is featured taking part in a series of activities including surfing and biking, while discussing how his family helped him develop his relationship with the great outdoors. </p> <p>“I’ve always been about the ocean from a really, really young age,” Irwin said in the video.</p> <p>“It has always been my dad who had that strong connection to the sea. So now I feel very lucky I get to follow in those footsteps."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CogBmmyOe8A/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CogBmmyOe8A/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I still use some of his old surf boards. I get out there every morning into the water. I am definitely most at home when I’m next to the ocean.”</p> <p>While explaining his passion for being outside, he said that his work at Australia Zoo is still the biggest part of his life. </p> <p>“It’s my passion, not just what I do, it’s who I am. So, it becomes all about giving everything 100 per cent. Having that passion and enthusiasm for what you do is so important,” he said.</p> <p>The video was shot as part of a Hard Yakka series called Meet the Legends and Irwin had fans swooning as he modelled the brand’s clothing range.</p> <p>“Worlds most eligible Bachelor. So handsome and well behaved,” one wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>“Is there anything he CAN’T do? 😍👏 his dad is so proud,” another added.</p> <p>“I have the worlds biggest crush on you,” another fan stated simply.</p> <p>“I’ve never wanted to purchase a product more in my entire life. This was fantastic to watch,” a fourth chimed in.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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“He can be that guy!!!”: Top Gun actor’s grandma’s sweet campaign

<p dir="ltr">One of the stars of the latest <em>Top Gun</em> movie has been put up for the role of James Bond by one of his biggest supporters: his grandmother.</p> <p dir="ltr">Miles Teller’s grandma, Leona Flowers, recently took to Twitter to campaign for him to replace Daniel Craig as the famed spy, saying her grandson had all the skills needed for the job.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’re looking for an actor to replace Daniel Craig for future 007 movies,” she tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think my grandson, Miles Teller, has proven that he has everything they’re looking for - talent, looks, strength, worldwide appeal, and oh, so cool.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b979a01e-7fff-27f3-6bee-3171f2be0b4e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“He can be that guy!! Wouldn’t that be great?”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">They’re looking for an actor to replace Daniel Craig for future 007 movies. I think my grandson, Miles Teller, has proven that he has everything they’re looking for- talent, looks, strength,worldwide appeal &amp; oh, so cool. He can be that guy!! Wouldn’t he be great?</p> <p>— Leona Flowers (@MupTheQueen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MupTheQueen/status/1542206491691737088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Teller, who plays Rooster in the latest <em>Top Gun</em> instalment, has since admitted he’d be open to the opportunity while speaking to Entertainment Tonight.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yeah, I mean, yeah perfect,” the 35-year-old said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think we’re actors, you know, so maybe you can mix it up a little bit.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dbcc04ca-7fff-44cb-8668-05d34fbfdeae">Flowers added that her American grandson would be welcomed by portraying the famous Brit, having even “charmed” the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the London premiere of <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em>.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Miles charming Prince William &amp; Princess Kate in London. He sat in the Royal box &amp; watched Top Gun Maverick with them. New friends😊Folks just can’t help liking him. He’s so relatable♥️ <a href="https://t.co/RjTRcktoXs">pic.twitter.com/RjTRcktoXs</a></p> <p>— Leona Flowers (@MupTheQueen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MupTheQueen/status/1530601184490299392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I think our English friends would welcome him as 007,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The folks in London loved him when he was just there with the premiere of <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em>. He even charmed William and Kate.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c0a5b50a-7fff-68e7-fe8a-51c48915ddc5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Flowers even turned to author Ian Fleming’s original concept for the martini-drinking super spy to argue her case, writing that not only does Teller serve as a good lookalike, but he shares a love of golf with Bond and Fleming.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is Ian Fleming’s original concept of James Bond. Add a beautiful head of hair and Miles closely fits that image. 007 supposedly had a scar on his cheek as well. Like Miles, Fleming and his character, James Bond, both had a love of golf😊 <a href="https://t.co/4AydjqL2Lq">pic.twitter.com/4AydjqL2Lq</a></p> <p>— Leona Flowers (@MupTheQueen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MupTheQueen/status/1543338775979462658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is Ian Fleming’s original concept of James Bond,” she tweeted along with a black-and-white drawing of Bond.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Add a beautiful head of hair and Miles closely fits that image. 007 supposedly had a scar on his cheek as well. Like Miles, Fleming and his character, James Bond, both had a love of golf.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Barbara Broccoli, a producer for <em>James Bond</em>, recently said the search for the next 007 is yet to begin, though the new movie will see his character reinvented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Nobody’s in the running. We’re working out where to go with him, we’re talking that through,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There isn’t a script yet and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time. I’d say that filming is at least two years away.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With that in mind, two years feels like plenty of time for Flowers to convince Broccoli and her team that her grandson is the best choice.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-45e88cd7-7fff-82db-7049-4f708fcf6f42"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @MupTheQueen (Twitter)</em></p>

Movies

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Japan's former PM shot during public campaign speech

<p><em><strong>UPDATE: </strong></em>Japan's current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has confirmed Shinzo's condition is critical, as doctors are "doing everything they can" to keep him alive.</p> <p><em><strong>EARLIER...</strong></em></p> <p>Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot following an attack at a campaign event in Nara.</p> <p>Abe, 67, was reported to be unconscious and unresponsive just after 11:30 am Tokyo time and has allegedly entered a state of cardiac arrested.</p> <p>According to various reports from the event, Abe had collapsed after gun shots were heard, while people at the scene started to perform CPR. Local media sources have also stated that he was bleeding profusely from the neck at the time he collapsed, prompting him to be rushed to hospital.</p> <p>The alleged gunman who made no attempt to run away was then apprehended by police, who confiscated his weapon. The man is believed to be in his 40s.</p> <p>In the past few weeks, Abe had been campaigning on behalf of the Liberal Democratic Party ahead of the House of Councillors election on July 10th.</p> <p>Not only was Shinzo Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, but he was also the most influential Japanese political figure of his generation. He held office in 2006 for one year and again from 2012 to 2020, when he was forced to step down due to a debilitating health condition.</p> <p>Australian PM Anthony Albanese has taken to Twitter shocked about the news, keeping Abe’s family and the people of Japan in his thoughts.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shocking news from Japan that former PM Shinzo Abe has been shot - our thoughts are with his family and the people of Japan at this time</p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1545263750818988032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>There have been no official reports stating Shinzo has gone into heart failure, with an update on his condition yet to be confirmed.</p> <p>More to come.</p> <p><em>Image: ABC News / NHK Japan</em></p>

News

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Berlin music campaigners fight for Unesco world heritage status

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ever since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, music fans from across the world have flocked to the German capital for the world-famous techno culture. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But now, like a lot of global businesses and institutions, Berlin’s renowned clubs such as Tresor and Berghain are in danger of financial ruin as a result of the pandemic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, DJs and music enthusiasts are campaigning to secure Unesco world heritage status to protect the countercultural genre. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berlin-based DJ Alan Oldham said recognition from Unesco would help to protect key venues and boost tourism for the city.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He told </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/05/beat-that-berlins-techno-djs-seek-unesco-world-heritage-status"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Observer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, "Unesco protection would go a long way towards maintaining that old spirit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Legacy venues like Tresor and Berghain for example would be protected as cultural landmarks. So many venues have closed in just the seven years I've lived here full-time.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"In other cities, it would be the natural club cycle at work, but Berlin is a different kind of place, where the club and creative scenes are the currency of the city."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Support has been growing for the campaign, which was spearheaded by berlin-based organisation </span><a href="https://www.ravetheplanet.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rave The Planet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who say the techno scene should be protected “as an intangible cultural heritage.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If Unesco status is granted to the clubs, they would get extra protection under city planning laws, as well as access to government subsidies and other funding. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

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Breathtaking wilderness in the heart of coal country: after a 90-year campaign, Gardens of Stone is finally protected

<p>In the rocky upland wilderness of Wiradjuri Country two hours west of Sydney lies a new protected area with a <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">nine-decade-long history</a> of dogged environmental activism: the Gardens of Stone.</p> <p>Last month, the New South Wales government <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bill/files/3928/First%20Print.pdf">officially recognised</a> the Gardens of Stone as a State Conservation Area within the National Parks estate. <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">First proposed in 1932</a> and with a small portion of the area designated as National Park in 1994, this decision will see more than 30,000 hectares finally protected.</p> <p>The government has also earmarked the region <a href="https://mattkean.com.au/news/media-release/gardens-stone-and-lost-city-adventures">for ecotourism</a>. With its epic gorges, the globally unique hanging swamps of Newnes Plateau, craggy cliff ravines and slot canyons, this 250-million-year-old geological landscape is a paradise for adventurers.</p> <p>But more than anything, the Gardens of Stone is, as stalwart campaigner Julie Favell puts it, a “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/13/storybook-of-nature-a-landmark-win-as-gardens-of-stone-in-nsws-blue-mountains-protected">storybook of nature</a>”. This is no simple story, but one of a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421518302489">generational mining community</a> on the brink of social change and an often thankless, hard-won battle for ecological recognition in the heart of coal country.</p> <h2>Sandstone towers and rare wildlife</h2> <p>Towering sandstone and iron-banded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNcceomLvs0&amp;ab_channel=IntotheWildFilms">pagoda formations</a> are what you’d most likely find on a Gardens of Stone postcard. These intricately weathered structures breach the eucalyptus canopy and cluster on a cliff, like a cross between the temples of Angkor Wat and a massive beehive complex.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNcceomLvs0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">The Lost City, Newnes Plateau, in Lithgow.</span></p> <p>For close and curious observers, there are also smaller, less dramatic icons. Rare wildflowers abound, including countless native orchids and the pagoda daisy, which grows only in rocky crags. In fact, the park is home to more than 40 threatened species, including the <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10841">regent honeyeater</a> and the <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10207">spotted-tail quoll</a>.</p> <p>A humble jewel of the Gardens of Stone is its endangered upland peat swamps. Resembling a meadow clearing, up close these swamps form watery spongescapes that function as both kitchen and nursery to hundreds of local species. Inhabitants include the endangered <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10322">Blue Mountains water-skink</a> and <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10600&amp;linkId=99343958">giant dragonfly</a>.</p> <p>These upland swamps on sandstone are found nowhere else in the world, and they play a critical role in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09640568.2019.1679100">regional water and climate resilience</a>, as they store carbon and mediate flooding and drought.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434647/original/file-20211130-19-16t5mk1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434647/original/file-20211130-19-16t5mk1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Pagoda daisy, which grows nowhere else in Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Julie Favell</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <h2>A rocky battle</h2> <p>The environmental features of the Gardens of Stone are so intertwined with local, state and national conservation efforts that to tell the story of one is to tell the story of the other.</p> <p>Local environment groups have worked relentlessly to <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/3063/">demonstrate the geological heritage</a> of the pagodas in the <a href="https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/5067592/threat-to-gardens-of-stone-from-proposed-open-cut-mining/">face of open cut mining</a>. They have documented the impacts of mining on <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/swamp%20watch.php">swamps and waterways</a>, tried to <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/5268473/springvale-fined-for-damage-to-vegetation-in-endangered-swampland/">hold companies accountable</a> for their destruction, and recorded the presence of <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/flora%20and%20fauna%201.php">many hundreds</a> of previously undocumented plant and animal species in an effort to have the area’s value formally recognised.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434649/original/file-20211130-17-1wc5fr7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434649/original/file-20211130-17-1wc5fr7.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Gooches Crater swamp, ringed by cliffs and pagodas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Julie Favell</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>This long campaign has also been the subject of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-02/springvale-mine-extension-blocked-in-court/8766742">legal battles</a> in the courts of NSW. The last two decades in particular have seen, for example, countless petitions, <a href="https://gggallery.com.au/anne-graham-2/">public events</a>, <a href="http://www.lithgowenvironment.org/pages/stream%20watch.php">environmental testing and monitoring projects</a>, and the task of sifting through technical mining documents with each new mining proposal.</p> <p>Two mines are currently in operation within the conservation area, with an extension to an <a href="https://www.centennialcoal.com.au/operations/angus-place/">existing site proposed</a>. The most significant impacts from mining in recent decades have been sandstone cracking, causing swamps to dry out and die, and disruptions to upland water flows and regional water quality.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434651/original/file-20211130-15-13m3pgj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434651/original/file-20211130-15-13m3pgj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Lithgow Environment Group’s Chris Jonkers in a swamp damaged from nearby mining.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Julie Favell</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>Conserving the Gardens of Stone has been an uphill battle in overcoming indifference and opposition.</p> <p>At the local level, environmental impacts from mining were <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/2318819/mining-industry-again-a-target/">derided as inconsequential</a> in the face of mining employment, with campaigners bearing the brunt of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/13/storybook-of-nature-a-landmark-win-as-gardens-of-stone-in-nsws-blue-mountains-protected">distrust and hostility</a> from pro-coal locals towards their perceived interference.</p> <p>At the state level, hard-won environmental protections <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/10/nsw-to-weaken-water-quality-test-for-extensions-to-mines">were overthrown in favour of mining approvals</a>. In 2017, the NSW government weakened laws to allow mining extensions that impacted Sydney’s drinking water quality, with <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/threatened-species/nsw-threatened-species-scientific-committee/determinations/final-determinations/2004-2007/alteration-of-habitat-following-subsidence-due-to-longwall-mining-key-threatening-process-listing">likely damage</a> to legally protected swamps within the Gardens of Stone not addressed.</p> <p>Due to existing mining developments, the extended Gardens of Stone isn’t officially designated as a National Park, but is instead a “<a href="https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/conservation-and-heritage/state-conservation-areas">conservation area</a>”. This means any new developments, such as extensions to mines, must use processes <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/7368602/centennial-coal-propose-new-project-to-delight-of-environmentalists/">that support</a> conservation requirements.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434655/original/file-20211130-21-1e6u2x3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434655/original/file-20211130-21-1e6u2x3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Spotted-tail quolls are one of the rare species living in the Gardens of Stone.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></p> <h2>Transitioning away from coal</h2> <p>Hopefully, encouraging responsible developments will avoid further <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-30/gardens-of-stone-conservation-proposal/100103246">ecological damage</a> and help enable a smoother economic transition away from coal in the coming decades.</p> <p>Despite Australia’s <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/11/coal-mining-australia-climate-cop26/">national climate strategy</a> remaining entrenched in coal, <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/7291551/angus-place-in-doubt-after-parent-company-pivots-to-clean-energy-future/">local coal</a> prospects are winding down. This seems heralded by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-24/wallerawang-coal-demolition/100643694">last week’s demolition of Wallerawang Power Station</a> just outside the new conservation area.</p> <p>The new conservation area comes with a A$50 million investment, and will see hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to explore a range of proposed new attractions. Chief among these will be the Lost City Adventure Experience, featuring Australia’s longest zipline and an elevated canyon walk, as well as a rock-climbing route and a six day wilderness track. These attractions are expected to create an extra 200 jobs.</p> <p>This new pivot towards ecotourism provides an example of a strategic and environmentally just transition pathway for the coal community in practice.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434653/original/file-20211130-23-12arbsv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434653/original/file-20211130-23-12arbsv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Pagodas at Newnes in the Gardens of Stone.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Julie Favell</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></p> <p>The Gardens of Stone victory may reflect a <a href="https://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/story/5577143/mundey-cfmeu-conservationists-talk-39000-hectare-state-reserve/">new dawn of negotiation</a> that could mark an end to the often antagonistic view of conservation as a threat to local livelihoods in this area.</p> <p>This victory and vision belongs squarely with its environmental campaigners, some of whom have <a href="https://www.nature.org.au/a_history_of_the_gardens_of_stone_campaign">given over 30 years of sustained and dedicated effort</a> to make it a reality.</p> <p>As the world’s attention is increasingly turned towards climate action, the success of this campaign may provide the surge of momentum we need for a more sustainable future.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hannah-della-bosca-416132">Hannah Della Bosca</a>, PhD Candidate and Research Assistant at Sydney Environment Institute, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/breathtaking-wilderness-in-the-heart-of-coal-country-after-a-90-year-campaign-gardens-of-stone-is-finally-protected-172503">original article</a>.</p>

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Campaigner sparks controversy after blasting picture book

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A British domestic violence campaigner has called out Judith Kerr’s 1968 picture book, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Tiger Who Came to Tea</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as a reinforcement of problematic ideas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rachel Adamson, the co-director of charity Zero Tolerance, which aims to end men’s violence against women, has claimed the book is an “old fashioned” depiction of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We know that gender stereotypes are harmful and they reinforce gender inequality, and that gender inequality is the cause of violence against women and girls,” she told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC Radio Scotland</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr’s picture book tells the story of a tiger who arrives on a family’s doorstep and, once invited in for tea, proceeds to consume all of their food and drinks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adamson criticised the “stereotypical” ending to the book, where the dad comes home from work and saves the day by taking his family to a cafe.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The campaigner also questioned why the tiger was not female or gender neutral.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We need to recognise these aren’t just stories… it is reflective of a society that we need to think more closely about,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adamson described Kerr as a “wonderful author”, but was aware that her comments would “make a lot of people unhappy”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite her strong views about the book, Adamson has stressed that she doesn’t want it banned.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, she believes it could be used to “raise a conversation” in nurseries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Telegraph</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservatives spokesperson for children and young people, described Adamson’s language as “completely unhelpful”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While attitudes change over time, parents will be left bemused at some of these claims by Zero Tolerance,” Gallacher </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9920825/Tiger-Came-Tea-lead-rape-harassment-campaigner-claims.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This sort of language is completely unhelpful as we try to educate children about much-loved publications from days gone by.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are far better ways for this publicly funded group to go about changing attitudes, rather than simply calling for these books to be banned from nurseries.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr, who had fled Nazi Germany when she was just 13, had previously denied claims there was a darker meaning to the story.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The idea came to her while she was a stay-at-home mother of her two small children.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It got really very boring,” she later recalled. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’d go for a walk and have tea, and that was it really. And we wished someone would come. So I thought, why not have a tiger come?”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kerr continued to write and illustrate books from 1968 until she passed away in May of 2019.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Instagram, Rachel Adamson</span></em></p>

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Hugh Grant lashes Boris Johnson over iconic Love Actually campaign spoof

<p><em>Love Actually<span> </span></em>might be considered one of the world's most popular Christmas films.</p> <p><span>However, not even an iconic scene taken from the movie for a spoof election campaign video by Boris Johnson could save him from a heap of criticism.</span><span></span></p> <p>Mr Johnson played as a poor understudy for<span> </span><em>Love Actually’s</em><span> </span>Andrew Lincoln for his take of the scene.</p> <p>In the film, Lincoln’s character Mark confesses his love for Julie, the wife of his best friend, with a series of cue card held up to the tune of carol singers outside their London home.</p> <p><em><strong>Scroll through the gallery to see the video in pictures.</strong></em></p> <p>While the scene has become a classic to reenact over the years since its release in 2003, the decision to use it by the conservative social media machine - which is run by an Australian political strategist and two New Zealanders - has received a harsh response from Britain.<span> </span></p> <p>Mr Johnson appears on a doorstep promising to “get Brexit done”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Brexit, actually. <a href="https://t.co/4ryuh19c75">pic.twitter.com/4ryuh19c75</a></p> — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1204152954934177792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The clip begins with the classic “tell them it’s carol singers” before launching into the Conservative election manifesto, saying “with any luck by next year we’ll have Brexit done.”</p> <p>Embed video<span> </span></p> <p>While some people in the UK have marked the video as “brilliant,” others have remade their own version for the Prime Minister to watch.<span> </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I saw that Boris Johnson made a Love Actually campaign video.<br /><br />Well, Boris, when I made this video, it looked as if the UK was going to leave before this Christmas. <br /><br />I am more than happy you are still with us. And hope for many more years together in our European family.<br /><br />🇪🇺❤️🇬🇧 <a href="https://t.co/HBZ6fzlsgE">https://t.co/HBZ6fzlsgE</a></p> — Terry Reintke (@TerryReintke) <a href="https://twitter.com/TerryReintke/status/1204377617153048576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">What a brilliant <a href="https://twitter.com/Conservatives?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Conservatives</a> broadcast. Everyone is talking about it! Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BorisJohnson</a> and team! Here it is <a href="https://t.co/uGcNZn0NaR">https://t.co/uGcNZn0NaR</a></p> — Jayne Cowan (@JayneCowan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayneCowan/status/1204161457837027329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Labour Party MPs also pointed out the scene had been parodied before by a Labour’s Rosena Allin-Khan on 22 November.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The choice at this election... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LoveActually?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LoveActually</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MerryXmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MerryXmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tooting?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tooting</a> <a href="https://t.co/laP589NlMm">pic.twitter.com/laP589NlMm</a></p> — Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrRosena/status/1197884965444366337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <p><em>Love Actually</em><span> </span>star Hugh Grant, who played the role of Britain’s Prime Minister in the film and is a vocal critic of the Conservative government told the BBC he found that the video was “quite well done, very high production values but clearly the Conservative party have a lot of money.”</p> <p>“Maybe that’s where all the roubles went,” he said in reference to reports of Russian interference in the UK election.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">"One of the cards... Boris Johnson didn't hold up was the one saying "Because at Christmas you tell the truth"<br /><br />Actor Hugh Grant <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HackedOffHugh</a>, who wants people to vote tactically against Brexit, gives his view of the PM's version of the famous Love Actually cards scene <a href="https://t.co/HyU9Uk47Sd">pic.twitter.com/HyU9Uk47Sd</a></p> — BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCr4today/status/1204321608694976514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“But I did notice that one of the cards from the original film he didn’t hold up was the one where Andrew Lincoln held up a card saying ‘because at Christmas you tell the truth’.”</p> <p>“And I just wonder if the spin doctors in the Tory party thought that was a card that wouldn’t look too great in Boris Johnson’s hands.”</p> <p><em><strong>Scroll through the gallery to see the video in pictures.</strong></em></p>

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Just like mum! Liz Hurley’s son follows in her footsteps with sultry modelling campaign

<p>Liz Hurley’s son Damian has followed in the footsteps of his famous mother as he debuted his modelling skills in a glamorous new video for makeup artist Pat McGrath.</p> <p>The 17-year-old has clearly taken after his mum as he showed off his chiselled bone structure, perfect pout and voluminous hair.</p> <p>Damian worked the camera in his first ever campaign, which was announced on Wednesday.</p> <p>Keeping his look simple, the teenager opted for a leather jacket and a plain white T-shirt as the focus was kept on the natural makeup look he was sporting.</p> <p><span>His mother was known as a bombshell during her younger years – and still is at the age of 54 – and with his striking blue eyes, Damian seems to be heading in the same direction.</span></p> <p>Both Liz and Damian are signed with the same London-based modelling agency, TESS management.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0B97lPlXte/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0B97lPlXte/" target="_blank">SIMPLY SKINGENIUS™️ ⚡⚡⚡ FEAST YOUR EYES on the DIVINE @damianhurley1 in #SublimePerfection: The System photographed by the LEGENDARY Steven Meisel. _______ Damian wears #SublimePerfection Primer, Foundation Shade 'LIGHT-MEDIUM 13' &amp; Powder Shade '2' — ALL AVAILABLE at PATMcGRATH.COM 7.26.2019. Sign up NOW for EXCLUSIVE early access — #LinkInBio Starring #McGrathMuse @DamianHurley1 Photographed by #StevenMeisel Styled by #JoeMcKenna Hair by @GuidoPalau #makeupbypatmcgrath #teampatmcgrath</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/patmcgrathreal/" target="_blank"> Pat McGrath</a> (@patmcgrathreal) on Jul 17, 2019 at 1:09pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Damian is Liz’s only son, who she shares with ex Steve Bing, a millionaire US businessman.</p> <p>The duo appear to be very close as they both feature heavily on each other’s social media pages.</p> <p>Liz has also previously mentioned that the photographer behind her saucy Instagram snaps is none other than Damian himself.</p> <p>She defended the controversial revelation, saying he’s studying photography, so he has an eye for what looks good.</p> <p>“When we’re on holiday together, sure he’ll take some pictures,” she said.</p> <p>“And you know, he’s got a really good eye, and he’s studying photography and it’s ridiculous.”</p>

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